The present invention relates generally to an apparatus for splitting a concrete-block to form unartificial looking or natural looking stone surfaces for walls, gateposts, etc., and more particularly to a feeder for the concrete block splitting apparatus.
Conventionally, a fedder which is disposed adjacent to a splitting apparatus has a conveyor and a table which is lifted up and down in the vertical direction. A concrete block is fed by the conveyor toward the splitting apparatus until the concrete block contacts a stopper which is disposed at one end of the table. When the concrete block is contacted to the stopper of the table, a limit switch is actuated simultaneously to stop the movement of the conveyor and then to drive a cylinder to lift the table to the predetermined position until another limit switch is actuated to stop the upward movement of the table. A pusher device, which is disposed above the aforementioned conveyor, is driven to push the concrete block on the table toward the splitting device. After the concrete block is positioned at the predetermined position of the splitting device, the latter is driven to split the delivered concrete block to form natural looking surfaces. After the concrete block is pushed away from the table by the pusher device, the cylinder is driven again to lower the table to the original position for successive operation. Thus, the table should be maintained at the predetermined upper level until the concrete block on the table is completely fed out of the table to the desired position of the splitting apparatus, and therefore, the successive operation for lifting concrete blocks to the predetermined position for the purpose of delivering the lifted concrete block toward the splitting apparatus should be waited or suspended until the concrete block which is lifted by table is pushed out of the table.
According to the aforementioned conventional prior art, the applicant has found it to be time-consuming since, as described above, successive operation for feeding additional concrete blocks to be treated by the splitting apparatus is not carried out until the table is retracted to the original lower position after the preceding concrete block, which is positioned on the table, is fully pushed toward the splitting apparatus. This is a particularly remarkable disadvantage in such a case that plural concrete blocks are positioned on the table and lifted to the predetermined position simultaneously, because the table should be stood still until all of the concrete blocks on the table are fed out of the table by the pusher device.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an improved feeder which permits a continuous and efficient operation.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved feeder, in which a concrete block can be fed to a splitting apparatus whereas a table can be lowered simultaneously to the original position for successive operation.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved feeder which is simple in construction and presents a reliable operation.
Further object of the present invention is to provide an improved feeder which can be facilitated at a relatively small floor space.
Other objects and features of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description of preferred embodiment thereof, which will be made with reference to the accompanying drawings.